Drinking even a single glass of wine a week while pregnant can risk lowering your child’s intelligence, researchers warn.

They say even small levels of exposure to alcohol in the womb alter a baby’s brain development and can result in a loss of up to four IQ points.

However, there was no effect evident among children whose mothers abstained during pregnancy, suggesting exposure to alcohol affected intelligence, the study published by Bristol and Oxford universities found.

Although official guidance says alcohol is best avoided in pregnancy, there is conflicting evidence about how much can be consumed safely, with research indicating that light drinking does not adversely affect a baby’s development.Read on...